I once sent an email to guitarist Brent Barcus (Shania Twain, Michael W. Smith, Steve Curtis Chapmen, etc.) early in my career. I couldn’t believe it when he actually replied. His advice to me was to never play for free and always get something for doing the gig. Great advice, but it proved to be easier said than done. In the music industry it’s common to be hired for no money. Sometimes it’s just part of trying to attract freelance work and other times it’s called an “internship”. It’s often touted as a way for you to gain experience, fatten your resumé, prove yourself before money is paid . . . if it ever is. But if you can get a job folding clothes or running a cash register at Wal-Mart for minimum wage, aren’t you worth at least minimum wage as a professional musician or producer/engineer?

As I write this blog I’m listening to the new Rush album, Clockwork Angels. I’m a huge Rush fan . . . but who isn’t? In my teens it was nothing short of idolatry and an endless quest to look and sound like Lifeson. It turned me into even more of a geek/loser in high school, but hey, I found a way to express my identity . . . through another person’s persona . . . hmmm, OK, moving on to the positive part of my addiction . . .